The present invention relates in general to processes for gaining access to the internet. More specifically, the present invention relates to methodologies, systems and computer program products for efficiently and effectively exchanging information that is necessary for a client computer to gain internet access through a private network of an internet service provider (ISP).
The domain name system (DNS) is a hierarchical decentralized naming system for computers, services, or any resource connected to the internet or a private network. DNS servers translate a domain name into an IP address that applications need in order to connect to an internet resource such as a website. DNS servers are implicitly trusted by internet-facing computers to correctly resolve names to the actual addresses that are registered by the owners of an internet domain. DNS hijacking or DNS redirection is the practice of subverting the resolution of DNS queries. The “hijacking” can be done by modifying the behavior of a trusted DNS server so that it does not comply with internet standards. ISPs and public/router-based online DNS server providers use DNS hijacking to direct unauthorized users to the ISP's own web servers where complete information about how to gain access to the internet through the ISP is communicated to the unauthorized user.